(Left) picture of the pack house, (middle) the common living room on the first floor and (right) Mark’s personal living room on the second floor.

All pictures are not mine, I just googled them up :)

Jinyoung’s POV

With sagging shoulders and a sulking face, I marched to the front door of that huge two-floored cabin. “This is stupid. Why can’t they just lock me in my room? I would gladly prefer that than spending the week here,” I mumbled to myself as I walk. I jumped when suddenly Uncle Haejin spoke from behind me.

“What were you saying Jin?” He asked though I know for a fact that my mumbling was loud enough for him to hear.

“Nothing,” I replied.

I stood in front of the wooden doors of Mark’s house. Gosh, this place is huge. Before I could even knock, the door swung open and Mark’s figure appeared in front of me and he was carrying his baby.

“Hi Jinyoung! Welcome to my home,” he beamed. His baby’s head was resting on his shoulder. He seemed asleep.

“Thank you so much for letting Jinyoung stay here, Mark. Now I can travel at ease knowing that he’s in good hands,” my uncle stated. He smiled then they shook hands.

“Don’t mention it hyung. Rest assure Jinyoung is safe here till you get back,” Mark warmly replied, returning the smile to my uncle.

“Geez, you talk as if I’m not here,” I mumbled again. The two of them found my annoyance funny coz they both chuckled.

“Well, I’ll be going. Behave Jinyoung, okay?” Uncle said before patting my head. What does he think of me, five?

“Have a safe trip hyung. You can come in now Jinyoung-ah.” He stepped back so I could enter his home. I gave one final look at my uncle’s car and they gave me one last wave before they drove off. With a deep sigh and a heavy pace, I took my first step inside the Mayor’s residence.

Mark took my bag with his free hand, despite my protest, and led me upstairs. As I walked behind him, my eyes scanned the place and I couldn’t help but admire his beautiful home.

It was a very luxurious cabin. The living room was really big with a set of soft and comfy couches and sofas and a big flat-screen TV in one corner of the room. Everything was in different shades of oak brown that complements the wooden ceiling and walls.

I was curious to see another living room up on the second floor. Although this one is a bit smaller compared to the previous one, it’s just as elegant. Upstairs the shades of brown were darker, the carpet was plaid black and red and there’s a beautiful painting of a waterfall hanging on the wall.

“This way Jinyoung-ah,” the Mayor said, leading me further to one of the rooms. “This is going to be your room. Please feel free to roam around and make yourself at home,” he said, smiling.

“Thank you Mr. Mayor. Sorry for the trouble. You may go back to your wife now,” I said politely, the word wife sounded bitter in my mouth though. I found myself staring amusedly at the Mayor when he let out a soft chuckle.

“First and foremost, please call me Mark hyung. ‘Mr. Mayor’ makes me feel old. After all, I’m just a year older than you,” he revealed. “And second, I’m single Jinyoung-ah so you will see no wife hanging around the house,” he added then smirked when he saw my surprised and confused face.

So no wife huh? Did he get someone pregnant then? Who’s this kid’s mom?

Instead of asking him unnecessary things, I decided to cut the conversation and got into my temporary room. Like the rest of the house, it’s in shades of brown, with the large bed in the middle. There was also a closet and a small table with a chair in one corner.

“By the way Jinyoung-ah,” Mark began, he was still standing by the door, “the living room downstairs is like a common room and usually my uhm… constituents hangout in there. If you want, you can always stay up here. This floor is my personal space and nobody comes up unless I allow them to. If you need anything – anything at all, my room is just across yours or if I’m not there, I’d probably be in my office next to it, okay?” he softly instructed in an attempt not to wake his sleeping child. The kid was out cold though and he seems unbothered by anything around him.

Instead of replying to anything, I simply nod and went into my assigned room. I heard fading footsteps and I felt relieved to be alone again. Or so I thought. Ever since I met Mark there was a part of me that has wanted to touch him and stay beside him always. I couldn’t explain it. I wanted to be alone, away from anybody but when it came to Mark, I was craving for his presence.

In my few weeks of staying in town and meeting Mark, I have decided to simply ignore all the weird thoughts and emotions I felt towards him. It was easier that way than to keep pondering about it and be bothered.

After putting my clothes in the small empty closet I decided to continue my work. I grabbed my laptop and started to type away, melting into my own world of sad novels.

I didn’t know for how long I stayed glued up to my work until I was disturbed by soft whimpers. At first, they were a bit hushed so I ignored them but it got louder and louder until I could hear Luke wailing, shouting ‘daddy.’ I weighed my options. Should I ignore the kid? Mark would probably hear him right? Or should I go see if he’s okay? I was inkling to go with my first option but Luke’s cry sounded really desperate and I felt my heart clench hearing him like this.

Without even thinking again, my feet brought me out of my room and to the one next to mine. I stood there frozen in front of the door, contemplating whether I should proceed or not. I sighed deeply before turning the knob open.

“Daddy! Daddy!” Luke cried, he was sitting inside his crib, his face soaked in tears and lips trembling. I cautiously approached him.

“Uhm, hi there little guy,” I started, not knowing what to do, “Seems like your daddy isn’t around. What’s wrong?” I asked then slapping my face for my stupidity. How the hell could he answer me? Did he even speak one full sentence?

I was about to turn around and probably look for Mark but then Luke showed me his grabby hands, asking to be carried while crying ‘daddy.’

Oh my god, he must have mistaken me for his daddy. I moved closer to his crib and said, “I’m not your daddy little guy. Look, I’ll leave you for a sec and I’ll go find your daddy, okay?” Luke just cried even harder.

I was starting to panic coz his voice was getting hoarse from crying and his eyes were already swollen. With so much hesitation I finally decided to take his still raised hands and lift him. His wailing suddenly stopped when he was settled in my arms. He wrapped his hand on my neck and rested his head on my shoulder. I was really surprised coz I didn’t do anything. I just carried him then his wailing turned into soft sobs.

“I guess you like being carried, don’t you?” I whispered to the kid while rubbing his back.

What do I do now? Should I just carry him to my room? Take him to the kitchen? He must be hungry. What should I feed him? Where the hell is the kitchen anyway? Or maybe I could put him down already.

I was about to put Luke back in the crib but he cried again when he realized I was putting him down. I quickly dismissed the option and decided to carry him to my room.

“Since you don’t want to detach yourself, I guess I got no choice but to take you with me.”

I went back to my room with Luke still tightly hugging my neck. I realized I couldn’t go back typing with him in my arms so I stayed standing by the window in my room and hum a lullaby as I rocked Luke to sleep.

And that was how Mark found us. It was only a few minutes after that Mark came storming into my room but stopped when he saw me and Luke. I couldn’t comprehend what I felt when his eyes locked with mine. I was embarrassed to be caught holding his child and I thought he was gonna get mad but he didn’t. Instead, I saw surprise and maybe amusement in Mark’s eyes. Luke then noticed his father’s presence and he lifted his head and spun around crying, daddy.

“I-I’m sorry, he was crying for so long so I tried to comfort him,” I quickly explained before Mark could even utter a word. When Mark stepped inside my room I saw two more persons behind him.

Mark took quick steps and in a jiffy, he was standing in front of me. “It’s okay, I shouldn’t have left him. It’s just that there was an emergency and I jumped without even thinking,” he replied as he caressed his son’s back. Luke was still clinging to me and refused to let go even when Mark tried to pry his hands off of me. “Hey buddy, sorry daddy left you. Come now,” he coaxed, trying to get him to let go again but still failed.

“I want daddy!” Luke sulked and to my horror, he buried his face on my neck referring to me as his ‘daddy.’ My eyes were seriously wide and I bet I was blushing. Mark looked surprised too but the two guys by my door giggled.

“I guess we’ll be leaving then. We’ll be downstairs Mark,” the guy in a snapback chided before they closed the door to my room.

When they left Mark seemed to regain his ability to speak. “Buddy I’m your daddy,” Mark cooed. Mark was giving me a nervous glance. Luke on the other hand yawned loudly and muttered ‘other daddy’ followed two words I never expected to hear.

He said, “Daddy Jinyoung.”

-oOo-

Mark’s POV

Ok, so I may have told Luke that Jinyoung was his other daddy but damn I didn’t expect the kid to say it right in front of Jinyoung! I was both happy and mortified. Happy to hear those words from my son and mortified coz what if Jinyoung found it creepy and would get mad?

I actually didn’t expect to see Luke cuddled up in Jinyoung’s arms. It was a few minutes after I put Luke to sleep when Jaebum called through the pack link saying rogues breached our borders. Thinking I’d only be gone for a few minutes at most, I left Luke sleeping in his crib and I was also pretty sure Jinyoung had no plan to leave his room.

When I arrived at the borders Jaebum and Jackson said that they could still smell the scent of the rogues so we, along with the trackers, tried to trace where their scent was going. I didn’t expect we’d take long. Moments later I started feeling uneasy, you know that feeling that something seems wrong but you can’t figure out what. All the while I thought it was because of the rogue thing but after we concluded that the rogues were not in our territory anymore, still that unsettling feeling remained.

It was during the ride home that I heard faint crying from Luke. I was still far from the pack house but given my werewolf ability, I could hear my baby crying his heart out calling for me. I stepped on my gas and my two best friends who are riding with me cursed at me for driving too fast. I didn’t give a damn coz at that moment I was desperate to come home and have my child in my arms.

That’s why I didn’t expect Luke to be in someone else’s arms. I didn’t mind though. It was Jinyoung anyway coz believe me if it was some other guy carrying my child I’d go ballistic.

We were nearing the pack house when I realized Luke wasn’t crying anymore. Still, I hurried up to my personal space and my senses brought me to Jinyoung’s room instead of Luke’s. There I found Jinyoung by the glass window, carrying my baby in his arms, humming a lullaby. Luke was half asleep and his head was on my mate’s shoulder. It was a beautiful scene to see. How I wish I would get home to see this every day.

Jinyoung, as expected, got flustered when he saw me, most especially when he saw Jackson and Jaebum behind me. I did my best to block his view of my two best friends whom I know have stupid -eating grins on their faces. I was thankful when they finally left us after hearing Luke say ‘daddy Jinyoung.’

After several more attempts of taking Luke from Jinyoung, the little devil still held his neck and refused to let go.

“I uh… He can stay with me for a bit,” Jinyoung said, giving up on trying to hand over Luke to me. I could see the blush coloring his cheeks and I knew I have the same colors on mine. How can I not? All this time this was the closest I have been to him. I was standing so close to him whilst trying to take my baby, sometimes I’d lean close to whisper to Luke which means I am inches away from my mate’s face too. I could hear his rapid heartbeat and I just have to smile at the thought that he could feel the mating pull.

“Are you sure it’s fine? I think my son has been keeping you away from your work far too long already,” I said, regaining my composure and returning to acting as an Alpha should.

“I-It’s fine. He wouldn’t budge anyway so I’ll probably just lay him on my bed and I’ll join him sleep as well,” he murmured. Luke then yawned wide then Jinyoung did the same. Cute. I felt a bit guilty though coz Jinyoung seems tired from carrying my not-so-light kid.

“Okay then,” I agreed. Jinyoung walked towards his bed. “I’m really sorry Jinyoung-ah. I didn’t expect Luke to cling on to you like this,” I apologized as I moved his laptop out of his bed and place it on the table.

“It’s okay Mark hyung, I really don’t mind.”

Mark hyung. I like the sound of my name coming from his lips.

Jinyoung laid my baby on his bed and he followed, lying beside the asleep child who still had a vise grip on him. Luke immediately cuddled on Jinyoung’s chest and sighed in content.

I sat on the bed and leaned down, planting a kiss on Luke’s temple. I was well aware that Jinyoung’s face was so close to my lips. I would probably touch his face if I turn to him. But I didn’t. It took a lot of control not to kiss even just Jinyoung’s forehead coz, believe me, I really wanted to, but thankfully I managed to pull myself together and stood up instead. I pulled the covers over them and smiled before I made my way out of the room.

“Where’s Luke?” Jaebum chirped as I walked towards them in the kitchen. He and Jackson were having a cup of coffee.

“Sleeping,” I shortly replied. I poured myself a cup of coffee too.

“And Jinyoung?” Jackson asked.

“With Luke, he’s sleeping too,” I said. They both exchanged amused looks.

“Oooh, so Daddy Mark put his babies to sleep! Did you – OUCH!” I threw the teaspoon at him.

“Luke wouldn’t let go of him,” I told them. “God, I was so mortified when he called Jinyoung daddy. I thought he’d run away and hate me,” I confided, hiding my face in my palms.

“But he didn’t, right? Then that’s a good sign, don’t you think, Alpha? Your mate just agreed to be with your baby,” Jaebum commented.

“But he’s always good to babies. He never pushes them away like what he does to the grown-ups like us. He’s like that to his cousin too,” I argued. As a matter of fact, I kind of noticed this during my constant visit to the pack clinic. Jinyoung would always turn down his aunt or uncle’s request especially if would make him leave his room but he never said no to Josh’s request no matter how small or stupid they were. Heck, he even stayed in their living room for hours to watch Land Before Time just because Josh said he wanted Jinyoung by his side. I guess it’s safe to say Jinyoung has a soft spot for children.

“But it’s good right? Maybe through Luke you can get close to your mate,”

“Yeah! He’s gonna be like a baby bridge for you! Hey- OUCH! Why are always throwing something at me!!” Jackson complained. I just threw a cube of sugar hitting him on the forehead.

“I will not use my son for it. I can do it on my own,” I opposed and they both just chuckled at me.

“We’ll see about that.”